Editor reviews

Average editor rating from: 3 user(s)

The colour is ideal peridot with a very slight haze. It's natural and extremely attractive.

Before water the aroma is dominated by alcoholic heat and anise. There's some slight grassiness and a hint of caramel. The wormwood is faint but noticeable. Water opens it up to an unbelievable degree. It becomes fresh and citrusy with some pine notes. Powder and camphor swirl around, appearing and then disappearing.

The louche is slow but develops very thick, with an inviting limeade appearance when taken in as a whole. Nice, sunset-orange light refraction at the edges.

Upon tasting the first thing I notice is deep floral wormwood, sweet and crisp. Woodsy. The anise is very present but doesn't take the spotlight. Not too much bitterness, but there is a twinge of saltiness. Well balanced across the entire tongue. Bell peppers, flowers, and citrus. Summery.

The finish is long and dramatic. Wormwood bitterness becomes a little more prevalent like a bass solo as the other herbs form more of an ambient tone with a sprinkle of peppercorn. Some candy-like flavours and soft powder as it fades.

This is a truly outstanding absinthe, where almost every aspect is exemplary. It has a strong, modern American character overall but the details find a way to be idiosyncratic while harmonious at the same time.

An excellent absinthe.

The colour is ideal peridot with a very slight haze. It's natural and extremely attractive.

Before water the aroma is dominated by alcoholic heat and anise. There's some slight grassiness and a hint of caramel. The wormwood is faint but noticeable. Water opens it up to an unbelievable degree. It becomes fresh and citrusy with some pine notes. Powder and camphor swirl around, appearing and then disappearing.

The louche is slow but develops very thick, with an inviting limeade appearance when taken in as a whole. Nice, sunset-orange light refraction at the edges.

Upon tasting the first thing I notice is deep floral wormwood, sweet and crisp. Woodsy. The anise is very present but doesn't take the spotlight. Not too much bitterness, but there is a twinge of saltiness. Well balanced across the entire tongue. Bell peppers, flowers, and citrus. Summery.

The finish is long and dramatic. Wormwood bitterness becomes a little more prevalent like a bass solo as the other herbs form more of an ambient tone with a sprinkle of peppercorn. Some candy-like flavours and soft powder as it fades.

This is a truly outstanding absinthe, where almost every aspect is exemplary. It has a strong, modern American character overall but the details find a way to be idiosyncratic while harmonious at the same time.

Color
Unlouched, a very clear and bright medium peridot with an amber overtone. A strong level of color, unquestionably natural looking. Louched, nice green retention with amber highlights and some whitish blue at the edges and meniscus.

Louche
The weight of this louche shows good restraint, and the resulting ample translucence to really get some maximum refractions of all the classic louche tones. Very opalescent, very colorful, just about as good as it gets.

Aroma
Spicy, herbal, savory, rooty up front. There is an assertive honesty to this that really sets it apart from most. Very fresh and immediate. The trinity, featuring that great Ridge wormwood, is perfectly evident. Pontica definitely talking, as well. As this has aged, some dustier herbs and flowers have emerged, especially when it warms. A little camphor and some lemon curd bring it all into focus. Very complex and balanced.

Flavor
A round, fruity attack followed immediately by the well measured insistence of the Artemisias and coriander. Very clean, smooth mouthfeel and a nice sense of weight. A very spicy, dry, savory overall impression, however not austere. The trinity, again, is right in the mix and very balanced with all the other components. Just enough minty and lemony notes to bring an offsetting brightness.

Finish
A round anisy, fennely linger that quickly segues to a spiciness and some tingle. It all eventually lands on anise and wormwood and just goes on and on. Very long.

Overall
Of the high-quality modern vertes I've tried, this is one of the few with a truly unique and distinctive personality. It's earthy, spicy, honest and grounded. Very workman-like in it's execution. Very clean, very high quality, very immediate, very no-nonsense, right in keeping with the Ridge house style. Every time I louche one of these up (which by the way, my favorite ratio is a little lean of 5:1), I am excited with anticipation, and the glass never lasts quite long enough. Like all the top scoring absinthes I have reviewed, the difference between a score of 4 or 5 in any given category was a razor's edge, and in those where I awarded a 4, I probably could have given a 5 and supported it. I swear, I need to start reviewing some more mediocre absinthes. They're way easier! Right now, I'm tasting this for probably the 10th time for this review (oh, the pain!), and I can tell you this is a pleasure to have in the collection for those times when I want a quintessential absinthe experience.

Extrait, Extrait, Read All About It!

Color
Unlouched, a very clear and bright medium peridot with an amber overtone. A strong level of color, unquestionably natural looking. Louched, nice green retention with amber highlights and some whitish blue at the edges and meniscus.

Louche
The weight of this louche shows good restraint, and the resulting ample translucence to really get some maximum refractions of all the classic louche tones. Very opalescent, very colorful, just about as good as it gets.

Aroma
Spicy, herbal, savory, rooty up front. There is an assertive honesty to this that really sets it apart from most. Very fresh and immediate. The trinity, featuring that great Ridge wormwood, is perfectly evident. Pontica definitely talking, as well. As this has aged, some dustier herbs and flowers have emerged, especially when it warms. A little camphor and some lemon curd bring it all into focus. Very complex and balanced.

Flavor
A round, fruity attack followed immediately by the well measured insistence of the Artemisias and coriander. Very clean, smooth mouthfeel and a nice sense of weight. A very spicy, dry, savory overall impression, however not austere. The trinity, again, is right in the mix and very balanced with all the other components. Just enough minty and lemony notes to bring an offsetting brightness.

Finish
A round anisy, fennely linger that quickly segues to a spiciness and some tingle. It all eventually lands on anise and wormwood and just goes on and on. Very long.

Overall
Of the high-quality modern vertes I've tried, this is one of the few with a truly unique and distinctive personality. It's earthy, spicy, honest and grounded. Very workman-like in it's execution. Very clean, very high quality, very immediate, very no-nonsense, right in keeping with the Ridge house style. Every time I louche one of these up (which by the way, my favorite ratio is a little lean of 5:1), I am excited with anticipation, and the glass never lasts quite long enough. Like all the top scoring absinthes I have reviewed, the difference between a score of 4 or 5 in any given category was a razor's edge, and in those where I awarded a 4, I probably could have given a 5 and supported it. I swear, I need to start reviewing some more mediocre absinthes. They're way easier! Right now, I'm tasting this for probably the 10th time for this review (oh, the pain!), and I can tell you this is a pleasure to have in the collection for those times when I want a quintessential absinthe experience.

Average user rating from: 8 user(s)

I could bask in these aromas all night - floral, powerful, and smooth. Neat color is pretty close to perfect - not too dark... but dark enough to stand out. Louche is glorious and thick - forms a bit quickly with lengthy, oily tentrils which form into heavy cloudbanks. This tastes very similar to how it smells - outstanding. Mouthfeel and finish both present themselves well and are enjoyable. Lots of great flavour and the preparation is difficult to get wrong. Out-standing!

Slightly "medicinal".... rustic... herbal... this is a great American absinthe and one which I expect will always be in my cabinet.

EDIT: There is a bit of menthol in the flavour and aroma which might be strange to some... so I have balanced my scores a bit based upon that. This is most likely from the elecampane used.

Powerful Montana Herbs

I could bask in these aromas all night - floral, powerful, and smooth. Neat color is pretty close to perfect - not too dark... but dark enough to stand out. Louche is glorious and thick - forms a bit quickly with lengthy, oily tentrils which form into heavy cloudbanks. This tastes very similar to how it smells - outstanding. Mouthfeel and finish both present themselves well and are enjoyable. Lots of great flavour and the preparation is difficult to get wrong. Out-standing!

Slightly "medicinal".... rustic... herbal... this is a great American absinthe and one which I expect will always be in my cabinet.

EDIT: There is a bit of menthol in the flavour and aroma which might be strange to some... so I have balanced my scores a bit based upon that. This is most likely from the elecampane used.

Ridge Verte pours an attractive shade of olive-peridot, with a fresh aroma before water that is both herbal and medicinal. There are noticeable white pepper notes in the scent. When water is added, an attractive louche forms, with all of the expected visual effects.

After water, the aroma is stellar: fresh and tonic-like, which characteristics carry over into the excellent flavor. This absinthe is challenging...it reminds me somewhat of the Roquette 1797. The two share the medicinal DNA of the earliest absinthes. The finish is perhaps a little too peppery, though with age this may improve. If so, I'll up the overall score from 4 to 5.

Rocky Mountain High

Ridge Verte pours an attractive shade of olive-peridot, with a fresh aroma before water that is both herbal and medicinal. There are noticeable white pepper notes in the scent. When water is added, an attractive louche forms, with all of the expected visual effects.

After water, the aroma is stellar: fresh and tonic-like, which characteristics carry over into the excellent flavor. This absinthe is challenging...it reminds me somewhat of the Roquette 1797. The two share the medicinal DNA of the earliest absinthes. The finish is perhaps a little too peppery, though with age this may improve. If so, I'll up the overall score from 4 to 5.

The Color is a clear olive, undoubtedly an emeraldy color when fresh and aged into feuille mortification. A 4 that is actually a 4.5.

The Louche is quite readily formed early on. It is quite thick and not quite what I'd call opalescent but I wouldn't call it ugly, as it would be if it were overcolored. Amber highlights around the edge. Another 4 that is really a 4.5.

The Aroma neat is surprisingly floral. Louched, it opens to a well blended, dryish, alpine sort of thing. The floral component is very similar to L'italienne but much more reserved and as I said, alpine. Simply delicious, especially when exhaling through the nose after a drink. 5.

The Flavor is complex but well balanced and seamless enough not to be an academic exercise to drink. A reserved sweetness gives way to a powdery dryish floral sort of thing which is quite refreshing. A bit of tongue numbing is present, but not to the point of coating the tongue. Easily a 5.

The Finish is for the most part a long and smooth fadeout, with the layers showing themselves at the end. The mouthfeel is nice, creamy enough but again, not excessively mouth coating. Wonderful floraly aftertaste. A peppery astringence shows itself at the tail end, especially on the sides of the tongue. That component lingers longest, but not unpleasantly so. Another 4 that is really a 4.5.

Overall, this is a most interesting product. Similarities to L'italienne abound, but they are kept on a much shorter leash. Qualities that in higher proportion made Stefano's product a bit controversial have been reined in considerably and instead help create a distinct, individual, and yet still what I'd call a traditional absinthe. From an artistic standpoint that is an achievement. On a more practical note, I have enjoyed this absinthe at much higher dilutions than I usually go with; I generally make my drinks on the stronger end of the acceptable range and go to 5:1 strictly for inquiry purposes, not casual drinking. I have found Ridge to be quite "stretchy" in that respect and it is quite nice to not have to obsess over the sweet spot when louching up.

A full-on win for Team Ridge. I would unhesitatingly recommend this to anyone who has not had it, absintheur or not. Just don't ask me to give you any of mine.

believe the hype, baby.

The Color is a clear olive, undoubtedly an emeraldy color when fresh and aged into feuille mortification. A 4 that is actually a 4.5.

The Louche is quite readily formed early on. It is quite thick and not quite what I'd call opalescent but I wouldn't call it ugly, as it would be if it were overcolored. Amber highlights around the edge. Another 4 that is really a 4.5.

The Aroma neat is surprisingly floral. Louched, it opens to a well blended, dryish, alpine sort of thing. The floral component is very similar to L'italienne but much more reserved and as I said, alpine. Simply delicious, especially when exhaling through the nose after a drink. 5.

The Flavor is complex but well balanced and seamless enough not to be an academic exercise to drink. A reserved sweetness gives way to a powdery dryish floral sort of thing which is quite refreshing. A bit of tongue numbing is present, but not to the point of coating the tongue. Easily a 5.

The Finish is for the most part a long and smooth fadeout, with the layers showing themselves at the end. The mouthfeel is nice, creamy enough but again, not excessively mouth coating. Wonderful floraly aftertaste. A peppery astringence shows itself at the tail end, especially on the sides of the tongue. That component lingers longest, but not unpleasantly so. Another 4 that is really a 4.5.

Overall, this is a most interesting product. Similarities to L'italienne abound, but they are kept on a much shorter leash. Qualities that in higher proportion made Stefano's product a bit controversial have been reined in considerably and instead help create a distinct, individual, and yet still what I'd call a traditional absinthe. From an artistic standpoint that is an achievement. On a more practical note, I have enjoyed this absinthe at much higher dilutions than I usually go with; I generally make my drinks on the stronger end of the acceptable range and go to 5:1 strictly for inquiry purposes, not casual drinking. I have found Ridge to be quite "stretchy" in that respect and it is quite nice to not have to obsess over the sweet spot when louching up.

A full-on win for Team Ridge. I would unhesitatingly recommend this to anyone who has not had it, absintheur or not. Just don't ask me to give you any of mine.

At last, I got the chance to uncork this very intriguing and flavorful absinthe. What's particularly fascinating to me is that its flavor is very much as I had imagined Butterfly Absinthe would taste, before I had ever tasted it. The Butterfly let me down, once I'd tried it. The Ridge did not.

Let's begin with the appearance...the color is an ideal peridot green, although it is hazier than I feel is appropriate. There is a rustic appeal here, not dissimilar to the delightful cloudiness of a Cooper's Ale from Adelaide, Australia. However, I feel that a distilled beverage should not throw off this much of a sediment.*

* Already, after 24 hours, some of that sediment has settled, and it's had a markedly positive effect on the palate of this absinthe.

The louche is a gradual thing of beauty, slowly cascading, rolling, and forming a lovely fog bank, as it eventually clouds over, and ends up on the thick side of ideal, but with enough of an opalescence, tinged with gradients of subtly iridescent blues and pinks, to be quite nice., to me.

The mouth feel is very creamy and rich without being even the slightest bit throat clogging (like St. George Absinthe, for example).

The aroma, neat, is very tightly bound, and there is evidence of alcohol, anise (particularly real black licorice), and perhaps the slightest hint of wormwood.

Once water has been added, the aroma really blossoms into an alpine (or rather, a Montana) meadow, and the wonderful wormwood opens up to reveal a very floral, but assertive character.

I initially tried a dilution of 4:1, but (as I expected, this did not open up this dense absinthe enough, so I switched to a slightly more than 5:1 ratio, and this seemed ideal.

The flavor is very immediate, and there's an honesty to this absinthe, as FingerPickinBlue has already mentioned. Aside from the holy trinity of herbs, I can definitively pick out the vibrant elecampane that, I believe lends Ridge Verte its particularly candy-like quality. There is also a decided citric grassiness contributed by the melissa, and a distinct honeyed edge (from coriander blending with angelica, I suspect) that segues into a nice, floral Montana Wormwood, which I only wish were a bit more featured. Unfortunately, this competes with a wild grassiness that I find to be similar to the flavor of La Coquette, for example, and it just isn't quite my cup of tea.

However, there is a wonderful spiciness that sometimes overrides the grassy component, depending on how my palate is oriented on a given day, and when it does, it's reminiscent of a dominant flavor in a pet Breger clone of mine.

The finish is very complex, with all of the above elements in very nice balance, but once again, sometimes the grassiness is just a bit too prominent for my taste, and at other times, that spiciness melds beautifully with the wild grass flavor, and the finish is an ethereal symphony.

Overall, I find this to be an extremely creative, herbally intense, rich, delightfully rustic, and extremely flavor-packed absinthe that certainly holds its own against nearly any of the best absinthes available on the market today.

Top Banana from Montana

At last, I got the chance to uncork this very intriguing and flavorful absinthe. What's particularly fascinating to me is that its flavor is very much as I had imagined Butterfly Absinthe would taste, before I had ever tasted it. The Butterfly let me down, once I'd tried it. The Ridge did not.

Let's begin with the appearance...the color is an ideal peridot green, although it is hazier than I feel is appropriate. There is a rustic appeal here, not dissimilar to the delightful cloudiness of a Cooper's Ale from Adelaide, Australia. However, I feel that a distilled beverage should not throw off this much of a sediment.*

* Already, after 24 hours, some of that sediment has settled, and it's had a markedly positive effect on the palate of this absinthe.

The louche is a gradual thing of beauty, slowly cascading, rolling, and forming a lovely fog bank, as it eventually clouds over, and ends up on the thick side of ideal, but with enough of an opalescence, tinged with gradients of subtly iridescent blues and pinks, to be quite nice., to me.

The mouth feel is very creamy and rich without being even the slightest bit throat clogging (like St. George Absinthe, for example).

The aroma, neat, is very tightly bound, and there is evidence of alcohol, anise (particularly real black licorice), and perhaps the slightest hint of wormwood.

Once water has been added, the aroma really blossoms into an alpine (or rather, a Montana) meadow, and the wonderful wormwood opens up to reveal a very floral, but assertive character.

I initially tried a dilution of 4:1, but (as I expected, this did not open up this dense absinthe enough, so I switched to a slightly more than 5:1 ratio, and this seemed ideal.

The flavor is very immediate, and there's an honesty to this absinthe, as FingerPickinBlue has already mentioned. Aside from the holy trinity of herbs, I can definitively pick out the vibrant elecampane that, I believe lends Ridge Verte its particularly candy-like quality. There is also a decided citric grassiness contributed by the melissa, and a distinct honeyed edge (from coriander blending with angelica, I suspect) that segues into a nice, floral Montana Wormwood, which I only wish were a bit more featured. Unfortunately, this competes with a wild grassiness that I find to be similar to the flavor of La Coquette, for example, and it just isn't quite my cup of tea.

However, there is a wonderful spiciness that sometimes overrides the grassy component, depending on how my palate is oriented on a given day, and when it does, it's reminiscent of a dominant flavor in a pet Breger clone of mine.

The finish is very complex, with all of the above elements in very nice balance, but once again, sometimes the grassiness is just a bit too prominent for my taste, and at other times, that spiciness melds beautifully with the wild grass flavor, and the finish is an ethereal symphony.

Overall, I find this to be an extremely creative, herbally intense, rich, delightfully rustic, and extremely flavor-packed absinthe that certainly holds its own against nearly any of the best absinthes available on the market today.

Color: Deep and clear green-yellow balance. A very even color so it is hard to decide which color comes out more. Very clear and captivating to look at.

Louche: Lots of oil swirls that louche easily with a nice pattern. The end is a strong and thick louche that tints just a bit of a blue hint on the edges.

Aroma: Complex and well balanced. Nothing seems to overpower anything else. Wormwood easily detectable but this is not smelling like an A.a. bomb. Clean, sweet, and promising.

Flavor: Slightly spicy with very unique wormwood and anise flavors out in front. Smooth and thick with peaks of spice as more of a texture than a flavor. Simple right up front but wonderfully complex in the back. Diverse and paradoxical at points. Overall the wormwood does dominate a bit.

Finish: The finish changes quickly and often, resulting in a complex experience. It lasts a long time with spicy and wormwood finish at the end. Numbs the mouth very well.

Overall: So close to a full five stars. This is a wonderful absinthe and holds some of the best presentation out there. Strong louche and excellent flavor are highlights. Montana grown wormwood showcases itself nicely and separates it's flavor from the rest very easily. Only critique would be to balance the flavor a bit to let the other herbs show through.

A Must Have.

Color: Deep and clear green-yellow balance. A very even color so it is hard to decide which color comes out more. Very clear and captivating to look at.

Louche: Lots of oil swirls that louche easily with a nice pattern. The end is a strong and thick louche that tints just a bit of a blue hint on the edges.

Aroma: Complex and well balanced. Nothing seems to overpower anything else. Wormwood easily detectable but this is not smelling like an A.a. bomb. Clean, sweet, and promising.

Flavor: Slightly spicy with very unique wormwood and anise flavors out in front. Smooth and thick with peaks of spice as more of a texture than a flavor. Simple right up front but wonderfully complex in the back. Diverse and paradoxical at points. Overall the wormwood does dominate a bit.

Finish: The finish changes quickly and often, resulting in a complex experience. It lasts a long time with spicy and wormwood finish at the end. Numbs the mouth very well.

Overall: So close to a full five stars. This is a wonderful absinthe and holds some of the best presentation out there. Strong louche and excellent flavor are highlights. Montana grown wormwood showcases itself nicely and separates it's flavor from the rest very easily. Only critique would be to balance the flavor a bit to let the other herbs show through.